Underground electric conductor



(No Modl.)

H. A. SEYMOUR. UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR.

No. 514,133. Patented Feb. 6, 1894;

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. SEYMOUR, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THESHORT ELECTRIC RAILWAY COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 514,133, dated February6, 1894.

Application filed August 30, 1890- Serial No. 363,530. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY A. SEYMOUR, of Washington, in the District ofColumbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inUnderground Electric Conductors; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to an improvement in underground electricconductors for electric railroads and has for its object to so arrangethe main conductor within the-conduit, that it shall be thoroughlyinsulated at all points.

A further object is to provide the main conductor of an undergroundelectric railway system with an insulating envelope, so arranged thatsaid conductor shall, at all times and at all points throughout itslength, be completely surrounded by insulating material, whereby allmoisture, dirt, 850., shall be effectually excluded from the conductorand the escape therefrom of any portion of the current, prevented. 4

A further object is to so construct and arrange an underground electricconductor that it shall be completely and effectually insulated, andwhereby the trolley shoe or wheel may be brought into electricalcommunica tion from beneath the conductor, whereby the parts will beprotected from injurious conflict with objects passing over the mouth ofthe conduit.

With these objects in view the invention consists in inclosing the mainconductorin a yielding envelope of insulating material and providing thelower portion of said envelope with conducting devices, adapted to beforced into contact with the main conductor by the pressure of a trolleyshoe or wheel against it.

The invention also consists in certain novel features of constructionand combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter set forth andpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a cross section of aconduit having my improvements arranged therein. Fig.

2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a detached View illustrating the means of supporting the mainconductor in its insulating envelope. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectionalview showing the strips d, 6 made in sections.

A represents a conduit in which is located, at a suitable distance belowthe mouth (1. thereof, a conducting wire B, supported and maintained inproper position by means of a series of arms C, which are preferablyprovided with grooved extensions adapted to receive a conductor B, towhich they are secured by means of copper ribbon or in any otherapproved manner. The arms C may, if desired, be made in two sections andone section adapted to be removably connected with the other for apurpose presently explained, and the upper end of the upper sectionsecured in the top portion of the conduit.

Supported upon the main conductorB and adapted to completely surroundit, is an envelope or tube D of rubber, or a composition of cloth andrubber or of any other suitable flexible material. The envelope or tubeD is provided with perforations, through which the lower portions of thearms C are adapted to pass and fit tightly,washers b, a being placed onthe arms at opposite sides of the wall of the envelope of tube D,whereby said arms may be firmly connected therewith, and the admissionof air, water, dirt, &c., effectually prevented.

While the manner which I have shown and described for supporting theconductor and its envelope in the conduit, is a simple and convenientmanner, it is evident that these devices may be otherwise supportedwithout afiecting the scope of my invention.

Placed within the lower portion of the envelope or tube D, is a thinmetallic (preferably copper) plate d, which plate extends the fulllength of the main conductorB. Located on the exterior of the envelopeor tube D and parallel with the plates at is a thin metallic plate 6,whlch is electrically, as well as mechanically, connected with theinterior plate d, by meansv of metallic pins or rivets f, so that whenpressure is brought to bear against the exterior plate e, the interiorplate d will be made to make electrical contact with the main conductorB. An arm E projects downwardly from the car and is curved, as at g, topass partially around the envelope or tube D and at the lower end ofthis arm, a trolley shoe or wheel F is located and adapted to makecontact with the exterior plate e and force the interior plate at intocontact with the main conductor B, whereby the current will be conveyedthrough the plates d, e, and their rivets f, to the trolley shoe orwheel F, and thence through the arm E and motor on the car.

By arranging the main conductor in a flexible envelope which iscontinuously closed at all points, moisture, 860., will be effectuallyexcluded from the conductor, and by locating the devices for conveyingthe current, beneath the conductor, said devices will be protected frominternal injury.

Instead of electrically connecting the adjacent ends of the conductingstrips d and also the adjacent ends of the strips e, I may insulate theadjacent ends of the body of these strips so as to subdivide them intoinsulated sections as represented in Fig. 4, and

by so doing insure a further safeguard against the escape of current.

By locating the contact strips below the main conductor as set forth,the contacts are retained normally out of engagement with the conductorby gravity and hence the envelope may be made wholly of thin flexibleinsulating material or the upper portion may be made of rigid materialand the lower portion only of flexible or yielding material.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a tube flexible on its under side, of anelectrical conductor located within the tube and supported therein outof contact with the inner walls of the tube, and electrical contactssecured to the under side of the tube and adapted to be lifted intocontact with the electrical conductor by an under running trolley,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a tube flexible on its under side, an electricalconductor located within the tube and a bracket extending through thetube and having the electrical conductor secured thereto, said bracketbeing also firmly secured to the tube, whereby it aEords independentsupports for the tube and conductor, of electrical contacts secured tothe under side of the tube and adapted to be lifted into contact withthe electrical conductor by an under running trolley, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

HENRY A. SEYMOUR.

Witnesses:

ELKANAH N. WATERS, R. S. FERGUSON.

